Are all the mayors in Minnesota so worthless and wackadoodle?
Rochester mayor: Minnesota cities can’t carry the cost of climate change alone
As mayor of Rochester, I’m proud of the work we are doing locally to address climate change and promote sustainability. But as Minnesotans swelter through this recent heat wave and suffer from terrible air quality, I’m reminded that cities cannot carry the costs of climate change alone.
Much of our state was under an extreme heat warning last week and into this week, and temperatures are expected to spike again later this week. Temperatures are reaching the upper 90s with oppressive humidity. This kind of heat doesn’t let up when the sun goes down. It gives little chance for our homes to cool down, and provides little respite for our public infrastructure.
Cities like Rochester face mounting costs when extreme heat strikes, posing a health emergency for our residents and an all-hands-on-deck response from city staff. We operate public buildings and transportation systems that become critical cooling centers when families need them most. We maintain streets, pipes, utilities and water systems that are stressed by high temperatures, humidity and extreme rainfalls that come with our more volatile weather.
You should start with banning all fossil fueled vehicles and air conditioning. Oh, and any heating that comes from natural gas.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Lawmakers should hold these companies accountable and create a climate superfund to help local governments prepare for climate change.
One idea worth serious consideration is creating a climate superfund which would require fossil fuel polluters to pay to clean up the mess they knowingly caused. It would give state and local governments money to adapt to the changing climate, while limiting the burden on Minnesota families.
Cities will continue to do our part. Rochester will continue to cut emissions where we can, conserve energy and grow our tree canopy. We’ll continue working toward making our community a healthier, more sustainable place for our kids and grandkids to live.
Well, hey, maybe you should shut down Rochester International Airport, eh? But, good luck on the polluter pays thing, because they are already being shot down in court, and, get this, people like you, mayor Kim Norton, would actually be polluters per climate cult dogma.
